The biphasic dream of our ancestors, did we sleep better?

The biphasic dream was a custom before industrial era. Imagine that it darkens at nine o'clock at night and since there is no electricity or too much external stimulation we are going to sleep. About one in the morning we wake up and take advantage of that time for different tasks: go to service, chat a little with the family while we eat something and, finally, we pray. At three in the morning we go back to bed until dawn. Welcome to the dream of preindustrial era! 

Content

• Research on the dream of yesteryear
• Did we sleep better?
• What does current science say?
  • Polyphásic dream today
• Conclusion
  • Bibliography

Research on the dream of yesteryear

The historian Roger Ekirch, in his book At day's close: Night in Times Past, collects that Before the industrial era the custom was to sleep in two phases, that is, to have a first and second dream. The first dream was dusk, between 9 and 11, and about one in the morning they woke up for about two hours, until they slept again and started in the second dream. Between both dreams, time took advantage of in different needs. They could eat, take medicines, chat, feed cattle, keep sex and even pray. There were specific prayers for this moment of the night.

Once these tasks were over, they returned to the second dream until they woke up. It was an extended custom in many parts of the world. As Ekirch emphasizes that documents of this type of sleep have been found in France, Italy, Africa, Middle East, the South and Southeast of Asia, South America and Australia. This practice is what is known as biphasic dream. However, with the irruption of the industrial revolution and electricity the dream this practice changed and this type of sleep became frowned. Because? Because sleep became synonymous with not working, that is, if not productive.

Little by little, the first dream was extended and the second dream stayed like those extra minutes we stayed in bed. Have a fixed working hours in a factory modified this habit, so Gradually the single-phase dream was imposed, that is, the 7-8 hours of sleep at night.

Did we sleep better?

It is possible to think that before the work schedules we could sleep better, but this is not clear either. The dream has always been a central theme in human concern and Medical manuals have been found on how to improve our sleep quality. In the same way that old treaties on certain substances (chamomile, lavender, etc.) have been found that helped sleep, advice on which postures sleep and on certain practices such as burning some types of wood to favor sleep.

It is curious to observe how the dream has worried the human being for years and as he continues to do so. Some researchers claim that the difference between pre -industrial and modern dream is not very clear and that, on the other hand, Sleep habits have always been constantly changing and not only depend on the time, but on certain social aspects. For example, the dream in the peasants was not the same as in court. In this way, experts suggest that there are still no data that confirms that the dream of our ancestors is better than the current.

What remains in the air is the fact that if the biphasic dream prior to the pre -industrial era was natural. That is, we would sleep the same without the emergence of electricity and work schedules? Is it possible that having a first and second dream is more natural than sleeping 7 or 8 hours in a row? Is the biphasic dream the natural and monophasic dream a modern, cultural and industrial imposition?

What does current science say?

A study of the year 2013 headed by Paul Carrillo-Mora, says that it is not yet known exactly why we sleep and claim that The causes should not be limited only to one, but to several, among which stand:

1. Energy reestablishment or conservation.
2. The elimination of free radicals accumulated throughout the day.
3. Thermal regulation.
4. Endocrine and metabolic regulation.
5. Regulation and restoration of cortical electrical activity.
6. Synaptic homeostasis.
7. Memory consolidation.
8. Immune activation.

Polyphásic dream today

Polyphásic dream (sleep several times a day) is still a great unknown. García-Borreguero (2016), in his article Main challenges of research habits, It emphasizes that sleep schedules vary throughout life. For example, newborns have a polyphase dream and with the passage to adulthood it becomes monophasic. However, García-Borreguero highlights an important fact since when adults do not get single-phase dream during the night they usually despair and here the researcher The question of whether single -phase sleep is a modern imposition to a polyphoneic physiology is raised.

That is, does our modern life go against our natural sleep system? Are we by nature polyphasics but our work schedules force us to be monophasic? García-Borreguero puts on the table that Perhaps the human being has certain sleep problems because he insists on going against his political sleep nature. In fact, a reminiscence - so to speak - of this biphasic dream is usually the nap of many cultures. It is a decrease in the state of alert in which after feeding at noon there is a "downturn" that causes us sleep.

Conclusion

An issue that, without a doubt, comes to mind, is the fact of If we are really naturally configured for a biphasic dream at night instead of single -phase. Would we face the day better? Many investigations deepen how many hours should we sleep, but what if the issue was rather investigating that if instead of sleeping 8 hours we would sleep in two dreams? In fact, the biphasic and polyphase dream is increasing. And the reader? What kind of sleep do you have?

Bibliography

• Carrillo-Mora, p., Ramírez-Peris, j. and Magaña-Vázquez, K. (2013). Sleep neurobiology and its importance: anthology for the university student. Faculty of Medicine Magazine, 56 (4).
• García-Borreguero, d. (2016). Main challenges in sleep habits. Neurology Magazine, 63 (2), 23-27.
• Ekirch, r. (2006). At day's close: Night in Times Past.